Door-release mechanism



April 28, 1925.

J. w. IRWIN ET AL DOOR RELEASE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 17, 1923 Qwvemtoz WIT/V555 Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. IRWIN AND ERVAN Ii, IfIIGDONALD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

DOOR-RELEASE MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMEs W. IRWIN and ERVAN L. MCDONALD, citizens of the United States, and residents of the cityand county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new. and useful Door-Release Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to electrically controlled mechanism for releasing the latch of a door lock.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of improved means whereby the latch of the entrance door of an apartment house may be released by an occupant of one of the apartments, to permit a visitor to enter.

Another object of our inventionis the provision of a mechanism of the character described embodying means for giving an audible signal upon the operation of the device.

Another object of our invention is the provision of means whereby the door may be locked by a key-operated bolt independently of the locking of the latch in the release mechanism. Our invention possesses other ob'ects an features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of our invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the showing made by the said drawings and description, as we may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of our invention as set forth in the clalms.

Referring to the drawings: I

Figure 1 is av plan view of our door release mechanism, a portion of the support ing plate being omitted to reduce the length of the figure and the electrical connections being indicated in diagram.

Figure 2 is an end View of the device, the dotted lines indicating the reversability o the supporting plate.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the device,

the plane of section being indicatedby theline 33 of Figure 1. In this View, the latch of the door which is to be controlled is shown in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure .3 but showing a modified form of our device.

F igure 5 is a plan view of another modified form of our device.

Our door release mechanism comprises a box or housing 2, which may be either cast or pressed from suitable sheet material, and in which a pair of electro-magnets 3 are secured, as shown. These magnets are connected by the conductors 4 in the usual way to the control switch 5 and source of electric energy 6. Disposed across the box in suitable lugs 7 1s a pivot pin 8, which conveniently may be inserted in the lugs thru an aperture 9 in the side of the box. The end of thepivot pin 8 may be split as showmandafter insertion of the pin, the split end may be spread to prevent the pin from working out of place, or the end of the pinmay be upset, or a projection pinched thereon to accomplish the same purpose.

Pivotally mounted on the pivot pin is an armature 11, extending across the box closely adjacent to the cores 12 of the magnets. The armature is made with integral portions 13 on each side, bent to form a loop or eye adapted to enclose the pivot pin, and an arm 14, formed adjacent one of these eyes, provides a convenient stop to limit the movement of the armatureplate in one direction. It is to be noted that the armature is free of all engagements tending to block its easy movement.

In order to prevent actual contact between therarmature plate and the cores of themagnets, a non-magnetic spring 15 is interposed between the two as shown and this spring also functions to resiliently hold the armature away from the cores of the magnets.

At the opposite end of the box, a tumbler 16, is mounted on the pivot pin 18, and is normally held against the fixed stops 19 by the spring 20. In this position the tumbler is adapted to engage the latch 22 of the door which is to be controlled.

The box 2 is supported by the plate 21 which, as shown in Figure 2, is shaped on one side so as to fit around the tumbler, and is secured to the box by screws 24. The holes 26 are for screws which secure the plate in the edge of the j am to support the box and enclosed mechanism in a suitably cut mortice therein.

In order that our device may have the widest possible usefulness, we provide the plate with an aperture 27 for the bolt ot the night lock. The plate is arranged so that it may be reversed end for end, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, with re spect to the rest of the apparatus, or turned over so that the whole device may be adapted to any standard make of lock or to a right or left swinging door. So far as We are aware door release mechanisms heretofore in use, do not permit the use of the key operated bolt or night-latch, and we regard this feature of our invention as a very important one.

Means for blocking the movement of the tumbler, and controlled by the armature are provided. Pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 8 is a stop, comprising a bar 28, normally lying in a position tangential to the arc of movement of the tumbler 16. The pivot pin 8 lies in the line of stress exerted by the tumbler 16. on the stop, and owing to the relative positions of the parts and the flattened contacting faces 29, no pressure exerted on the tumbler has any tendency to swing the stop, the thrust being carried directly the pivot pin.

Extending transversely from the stop or bar 28 is anintegral arm 31 which terminates just back of the middle portion (at the armature and in such a position as to be engaged by it. A spring 82 conveniently mounted on the tumbler, tends to retain the stop in position to prevent movement of the tumbler.

lien the electro-magnets are energized, the armature is drawn over toward the cores, simultaneously engaging the end of the arm 31, and swinging the stop 28 out of the path of movement of the tumbler, so that pressure exerted on the door which is to be con trolled by the device will rock the tumbler and let the latch 22 slip therepast. hen the magnets are d'e energized, the armature is released and the springs 15, 20 and 32 insure the return of the parts to the normal position.

If desired, an audible signal of the operation of the device may be embodied in it, and we accomplish this by arranging a spring contact arm 33 011 the armature, and an adjustable contact 3st on the box, and making the usual: connections for a makeand-break mechanism. When this is done, the armature 11, instead. of being drawn back with one movement, vibrates back and forth, with each. vibration striking a blow on the end of the arm 81. These rapid blows produce a buzzing sound which indicates the operation of the device. e find that this sort of engagement with the stop arm is much more effective in insuring the swinging of the stop out of the path of movement of the tumbler, than a single impulse of the magnets, as in the usual custom.

In order to prevent mutilation of the door casing by the latch of the lock, we also provide a long striking lip 36 on the box, which lies in the path of movement of the latch 22, so that the contact occurs with the lip 36 rather than with the wood of the door casing.

In Figure 4, we have shown a modified form of the apparatus, the general arrangement being the same as that just described, but a link 41 being pivotally connected to both the tumbler +12 and the stop or bar 43. When the magnets are energized, the stop 43' is thrown upwardly, tending to draw the tumbler 42 inwardly so that the latch 22 is free of restraint.

In Figure 5 we have shown another modified form of the device in which there is but a single electro-magnet 51, the armature being mounted on the spring fixed to the bracket 5-1, which is arranged in the box as shown. A non-magnetic spring 56 is disposed between the magnet core and the armature, and a spring 57 which may be integral with the spring 53, provides a resilient make-and-break arm adapted to engage the fixed contact 58. The remaining mechanism is identical with that shown in Figure .l and the method of operation is the same for both embodiments of our invention.

1. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a stop for blocking the movement of said tumbler and comprising a pivoted bar disposed tangentially to the arc of movement of said tumbler, an armature pivoted coaxially with said stop and adapted to swing the stop out of the path of said tumbler, and magnetic devices for actuating said armature.

2. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a stop for blocking the movement of said tumbler and comprising a bar pivoted on an axis lying in the line of thrust of the tumbler on the stop and provided with a transversely extending arm, an electro magnet, and an armature controlled by said magnet arranged to impinge on said transversely extending arm to swing the stop out of the path oi movement of said tumbler.

3. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a stop for blocking the movement of said tumbler and comprising a bar pivoted on an lying in the line of thrust of the tumbler on the stop and provided with a transversely extending arm, an electro-magnet, an armature plate pivoted coaxially with said stop and controlled by said magnet and' arranged to impinge on said transversely extending arm to swing the stop out of the path of movement of said tumbler, and springs for retaining the tumbler and stopin operative positions.

4. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a pivoted stop for blocking the said tumbler, and a reversible supporting plate attached to the door release mechanism and apertured for thebolt of the night lock associated with said release mechanism.

5. In a door release mechanism, a box, a pair of electro-magnets fixed in said box, a pivot pin disposed across the box, an armature controlled by said magnets disposed on said pivot pin, a pivoted tumbler, and a stop for blocking the movement of said tumbler disposed on said pivot pin between said magnets and provided with a transversely extending arm adapted to be engaged by said armature whereby energizing the magnets effects a swinging of the stop out of the path of said tumbler.

6. In a door release mechanism, a'box, a tumbler arranged in said box to engage the latch of the door, means for moving said tumbler to release the latch, and a reversible supporting plate apertured for the bolt of the night lock secured to said box. I

7. In a door release mechanism, a. box, a tumbler arranged in said box to engage the latch of the door, means for moving said tumbler to release the latch, a supporting plate apertured for the bolt of the night lock reversibly secured to said box and for supporting said box.

8. In a door release mechanism, a box, and a striking lip on said box for the latch of the door to be controlled, said striking lip extending in a line substantially parallel with the face of the box and being oiiset rearwardly therefrom.

9. In a door release mechanism, a box, releasing devices in said box and a reversible supporting plate for said box and apertured for the bolt of the night lock.

10.. In a door release mechanism, a box, a tumbler arranged in said box to engage the latch of the door, means for moving the tumbler to release the latch, and a reversible supporting plate for said box formed with a recess in the side thereof in which the tumbler lies and having an aperture therein for the bolt of the night lock.

11. In a door release mechanism,-a pivoted tumbler, a bar pivoted intermediate its ends with its outer free end engaging said tumbler for blocking the movement of said tumbler, an electromagnet, and an armature controlled by said magnet for engaging and moving said bar out of its operative position.

12. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a pivoted stop for blocking the movement of said tumbler, a transversely extending arm associated with said stop, an electromagnet and an armature controlled by said magnet for engaging said transversely extending arm for pivotally moving said stop out of its operative posltlon,

said arm extending at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the stop.

13. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a pivoted stop for blocking the movement of said tumbler, a transversely extendingarm associated with said arm, an electromagnet and an armature controlled by said magnet for engaging said transversely extending arm for pivotally moving said stop outof its operative position, means for automatically returning said stop to its normally operative position when the magnet is deenergized, said arm extending at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the stop.

14:. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a bar pivoted intermediate its ends with its outer free end presenting a flat surface for engagement with said tumbler for blocking the inward movement of the tumbler, an electr c-magnet, and an armature controlled by the magnet for engaging the inner end of said bar for pivotally actuating said bar out of the path of movement of said tumbler when the electromagnet is energized.

15. In a door release mechanism, a tumbler, a stop for blocking the movement of the tumbler, a transversely extending arm associated with said stop at the rear thereof, an electric magnet and an armature controlled by said magnetfor engaging said arm to move the stop out of its operative position upon the energization of the electromagnet, substantially as described.

16. In a door release mechanism, a box, a tumbler arranged in said box to engage the latch of the door, means for moving said tumbler to release the latch, a supporting plate secured to said box and provided with an extension apertured for the bolt of the night-lock secured to said box.

17. In a door release mechanism, a box, and a striking lip integral with said box and extending at an angle thereto for engagement with the latch of the door to be controlled said striking lip extending in a line substantially parallel with the face of the box and being ofiset rearwardly therefrom. I

18. In a door release mechanism, a box, a releasing device for said box, and a supporting plate for said box apertured for the bolt of the night-lock.

19. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, means for limiting the outward swinging movement of said tumbler, a pivoted stop for blocking the inward movement of said tiunbler, an electromagnet, an armature controlled by the magnet for moving said stop to permit the inward swinging movement of the tumbler when 7 Ward movement of said tumbler, an arm c'onnected with said stop, an eleetromagnet, an armature controlled by said magnet for engagement with said arm for moving the stop out of its operative'position to permit the inward movement of said tumbler, said armature normally laying close proximity to said arm, a make and break. device in the electromagnet circuit for al fecting vibrational contact of said armature on said arm. to release the stop and simultaneously produce an audible signal, substantially as described.

21. In a door release mechanism, a pivoted tumbler, a pivoted stop for bloeking the inward movement of said tumbler, a transversely extending arm connected with said pivoted stop, an electromagnet, an armature controlled by said magnet for engagement with said arm for rocking said pivoted stop out of its operative position to permit the inward movement of the pivoted tumbler, said armature lying in close proximity to said transversely extending arm and adapted to directly engage the same, and a make and break device in the electromagnet circuit for affecting vibration of said armature on said transversely extending arm.

In a door release mechanism, a piv' oted tumbler, a pivoted stop for blocking the inward movement of said tumbler, a transversely extending arm connected with said pivoted stop, an electromagnet, an armature controlled by said magnet for engagement with said arm for rocking said pivoted stop out of its operative position to permit the inward movement of the pivoted tumbler, said armature lying in close proximity to said transversely extending" arm and adapted to directly engage the same.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES V. IRWIN. ER-VAN L. MCDONALD. 

